What is the process of synthesizing RNA using a DNA strand as a template called?

The process of synthesizing RNA using a DNA strand as a template is called transcription. During transcription, an enzyme known as RNA polymerase binds to the DNA at a specific region and unwinds the double helix. This allows the enzyme to read the sequence of nucleotides on the DNA template strand and synthesize a complementary RNA strand. The RNA produced during this process can be messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), or ribosomal RNA (rRNA), depending on the specific needs of the cell.

This process is fundamental to gene expression, where the information encoded in DNA is translated into functional molecules, primarily proteins. Understanding transcription is crucial for many areas of molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry, as it serves as the first step in the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein. Other options, such as replication, involve copying DNA for cell division; translation refers to the conversion of mRNA into a protein; and mutation denotes changes in the DNA sequence, which are unrelated to the synthesis of RNA.